gift ideas

I am not Christmas shopping this year, but if you are and have not finished yet, I have three suggestions for you.  The first is the game Story Cubes.  It is a game that encourages creatity and is appropriate for ages 6 and up.  I have played with adults, teens, and children.  It is non competitive as well, which is a nice change from some games.  There are several different versions, and I have seen it at Target, though I bought mine at Barnes and Noble several years ago.  

The second game I would recommend is one of the versions of the game Spot It! made my BlueOrange games.  I got Spot It Jr! for two different families last year for Christmas, and want to get one for myself.  It is a fast game, where just because you are older does not mean you will win.  I have found some versions of this game at Target.

My third game idea is one of the Brain Box games.  I found this one last year at Toys R Us when I was helping with my dad's Christmas shopping.  It also has a variety of topics-starting with the ABCs and colors.  Again, it is a good game for a mixed age group.

All of these games would be great gifts for a variety of children and families.  I like them because they are educational, but also because they are easy to learn and you don´t get bogged down learning how to play.  Also, the games are not long and drawn out, which could also make them ideal for a classroom on a day when students are not able to get to go outdoors because of the weather.